Machine Safety: NFPA 70E and international requirements

Machine Safety has several different focused areas of potential hazards. One of the areas getting a lot of attention is Arc Flash and NFPA 70E. A recent article published by Control Engineering earlier this month had some startling results. An alarming 72% of respondents (302) “always” plus “mostly” regularly violate NFPA 70E while working on control panels.

Ouch – this is amazing! And, there are a few more amazing realities in my opinion.

In my experience it’s mainly the large companies that are most compliant with safe work practices and standards like NFPA 70E. Is that your experience also?

And another amazing reality – have any of you seen arc flash regulations in any of the international standards like IEC or ISO? In all these years I can’t recall coming across any international safety requirements similar to NFPA 70E. Aren’t they missing the boat? Let’s assume for the moment that most of the respondent comments in the Control Engineering article are representative of the whole. Then perhaps a slightly different approach needs to be considered where industry can more easily comply with the regulations and provide safety for the employees. Assuming this projection is entirely possible, why wouldn’t the international body of safety experts writing safety standards have already accomplished this more easily compliant approach? Is there something striking by its international absence?

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